Sœur Madeleine FASSION

List of Deceased Sisters

Date of Death 30/12/2021

 Birth:  14 June 1935 

 Profession: 8 September 1961 

 Born into eternal life: 30 December 2021

Sister Madeleine FASSION was born on 14 June 1935 at Bossieu (Isère), France, the daughter of Germain Fassion and Andréa François-Eymard. She was the third of their seven children: three girls and four boys. Only three of her brothers are still alive. 

Madeleine made her first profession as Sr Marie Jean Vianney at Sainte Foy-les-Lyon on 8 September 1961. In February 1965 she arrived in her first mission in New Caledonia where she did an internship at the Magnin clinic. She was a qualified nurse with a State Diploma, a CEP, and a qualified caregiver at summer camps. In 1965 Sister was missioned to the New Hebrides (now called Vanuatu) where she worked at the French hospital Georges Pompidou. From January to May 1966 Madeleine attended a 5-month training course in anesthesia at the Gaston Bourret hospital in New Caledonia. Upon completion of this training, she returned to Port-Vila to continue her work at the hospital there. On 8 September 1967, Sister Madeleine made her Perpetual Profession in Port-Vila.

In May 1971, she returned to France for her first holiday home. Then in November 1971 she returned to Port-Vila and continued her work there until August 1974 when she again went to France for a time of leave, during which she made a 30-day retreat. After her return to Vila in February 1975 she was appointed Regional of the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) for 4 years. 

From April 1981 to February 1982, Madeleine was again in Europe for her home visit in France and the Second Novitiate in Rome. Upon her return to Vanuatu, she was named to Baie Barrier as Community Superior and she continued her work as a nurse, going out to care for the sick people in the villages. She was not afraid to have to climb the steep slopes in the mountains in order to encounter the people there and provide them with the care they needed. “Oh, how beautiful are the footsteps in the mountains, of those who bring good news”.

From 1987 to 1993 Madeleine gave service in the community at Sainte Foy-les-Lyon. Before returning to Vanuatu she did a four month course in tropical medicine. On her return on 7 February 1994 she was appointed community leader at Foyer Nabaga. She was asked to work at the dispensary in Anabrou which she accepted with joy. However, pneumonia obliged her to stop this work in September 1995.  Instead she had more time to devote to the various needs she encountered: visiting the sick at home and in hospital, visiting in the prison, pastoral work in the parish, etc. From 24 May to 23 November 1999 she spent time in France on holiday. After that she was again named Regional Superior and carried out this role from 15 August 2000 to the end of February 2007. In 2001 she participated at the Provincial Chapter in New Caledonia and in 2003 she took part in the EGC in Peru. Illness required that she go to New Caledonia for health care in 2006. In May she was named to the community at Notre Dame, Paray, where she was named Superior in 2009. She returned to France for the last time in 2011, where she was on home leave from May to September.  From February 2012 to February 2015 she was at Montmartre where she was the Community Leader and School Nurse.

During her time there she had to go to New Caledonia for health care in 2014. In 2015 she was named to Paray where she helped out in both of the communities and also in the parish. In 2018 she again had to go to New Caledonia for health care and upon her return joined the Notre Dame Community where she helped out in many ways.

Who was Sister Madeleine as a person? Doctor J. Pierre Harrigi, who greatly appreciated the services Sister rendered revealed to us her qualities. This is what he said about her. “Sister Madeleine was a Nurse-Anesthetist of exceptional worth. She combined the highest quality technical and professional skills with incomparable human and moral values. A valuable assistant to the surgeon, she ensured, during her time at the French Hospital in Port Vila, that the Operating theatres and Surgery Department functioned exactly as they should. As a tutor at the School of Nursing, plus her practical work within the hospital, she contributed very successfully to the formation of the nursing personnel.

Tireless Madeleine never stopped working. She was always on the lookout so as to quickly respond to the needs of someone in community or with other people outside (visiting the sick, being the sacristan, helping at the Katolik Media Senta, selling the Eklesia magazines and so on). She kept on being of service until her strength ran out.

In mid-December 2021 the sisters noticed a change in Madeleine. She who had always helped others now needed to be helped. She had difficulty walking but was able to sit up in a wheelchair and to join in the life of the community. Her major concern was to make sure that her brother knew that she was not well. Slowly her strength gave way and at 4.00 pm on 30 December 2021 Madeleine died peacefully at Notre Dame, Paray.

We give thanks to the Lord for all she has been and done in Vanuatu.  Thank you, Madeleine, for your boundless generosity. Your concern for us was greater than for yourself. You were more concerned about others than about yourself. You loved us, and all that you knew you lovingly shared with us. May you now rest in peace in this land of Vanuatu which you loved dearly and to whose development you contributed.  May this be pleasant for you and a weight off your mind.

As the poem Verdelin, which her niece Blandine sent her, says:

“It is time for me to travel alone.

For a while you may suffer.

Trust will bring you comfort and consolation! Allow the memories to soothe your pain!

I am not far away and life continues.”

The life of Sister Madeleine, which was totally given to the Lord, is beautifully summed up in Article 66 of our Constitutions:

Mary Virgin and Mother,  inspires our way of receiving and giving love. We wish to realize our vocation as women,

By opening ourselves ever more to Christ

And by fostering His Life in others

Through the joyful and unselfish gift of ourselves.

THANK YOU TUMAS!

Sisters Marie Rose Lengsau and Anita Vira smsm